Apprentice is UK’s youngest registrar
Charlotte Richards, 22, from Shrewsbury, has become the youngest registrar in the UK
after completing an apprenticeship with County Training.
Today Charlotte Richards is also on track with a successful career as a deputy superintendent registrar with Shropshire Council in a varied and challenging role.
Charlotte’s day-to-day tasks range from, assisting customers with appointments to register births and deaths, registering marriages across over 50 approved Shropshire venues, and organising and conducting citizenship ceremonies. Charlotte also works with the HM Coroner service, attending inquests and assisting with the coroner’s court process. The role presents many challenges; one example being a high profile court case, where Charlotte played a significant part in identifying a sham marriage scam and seeing it through to the conviction of eight defendants.
With the help of Shropshire Council’s County Training Charlotte completed her level 2 Business and Administration apprenticeship at The Guildhall, Shrewsbury, teaching her knowledge of relevant legislation and legal processes, as well as giving her the experience in management and customer service which is vital for the role. Charlotte now has a full- time career and is working towards the completion of her level 3 Business and Administration.
Charlotte said:
“Working for the registration service is something I would have never dreamed of doing whilst I was at school: seeing the cycle of life on a daily basis has opened my eyes to the world and hearing people’s stories has taught me so much.
“I could never have achieved any of this without the help of County Training whilst completing my apprenticeship. My assessors were so helpful and understanding of the role that I wanted to fulfil. They worked around me to accommodate my busy schedule and kept in contact with me regularly to ensure that I didn’t fall behind; and if I did, help was on offer. Along with this, my colleagues in the registration service have mentored me, from everything to coping with the emotional aspect of the job, to how to hold my first fountain pen. I have truly been very lucky.”
Sharon Dudgon, Registration Administration Team Leader, said:
“We are delighted to have Charlotte on our team and it has been a great pleasure to watch her develop and experience the highs and lows of an occupation which brings you into contact with people at the best and worst times of their lives. We wish her every success.”
County Training’s team of apprenticeship advisers work to support school and college leavers into apprenticeships, whilst also working with 16- to 23-year-olds who are currently seeking an opportunity. As the largest provider of work-based training in Shropshire, the service has excellent links with businesses countywide, also supporting them with apprenticeship recruitment along with training for existing staff. In February 2015 County Training secured a ‘good’ Grade 2 in its Ofsted report, with outstanding grading awarded for health and social care, safeguarding and leadership and management, placing it as a leading training provider in Shropshire.
County Training receives funding from the Skills Funding Agency and European Social Fund to deliver training and apprenticeships in the following areas:
Business and administration, brewing, childcare, education, computer-aided design, customer service, hair and beauty, health and social care, horse management, hospitality and catering, IT, motor vehicles management, and warehouse and storage.
